Ocean County sheriff looks to the future

With his senior staff behind him, Ocean County Sheriff Michael G. Mastronardy administers the oath of office to a group of new sheriff’s officers, during a ceremony Wednesday evening in the freeholders’ meeting room in Toms River.(Photo: Erik Larsen, staff photo)Buy Photo

TOMS RIVER – Ocean County Sheriff Michael G. Mastronardy told his officers this week that he regrets he was unable to secure better raises and benefits for them in 2014, but he hopes to be able to do better on their behalf in the future.

Indeed, Mastronardy hopes to be a better advocate for his officers and for public safety all around in Ocean County going into the new year.

The former Toms River police chief, who took office as sheriff almost one year ago, said Wednesday evening that he is committed to transforming the public image of the Ocean County Sheriff's Department – although he did not go into specific detail in his public remarks about what that means.

Mastronardy was speaking extemporaneously during a ceremony at the Ocean County Administration Building, celebrating the hiring of nine new sheriff's officers and the promotions of two officers to sergeants, while honoring five other officers who retired this year. Mastronardy's senior staff was present, in addition to an audience of rank-and-file sheriff's officers and some family members of the new officers.

"Welcome aboard," Mastronardy told the new officers. "As I told (you) last year, when I met with PBA (Policeman's Benevolent Association) members … it's going to be a different Sheriff's Office."

He has a game plan, Mastronardy assured them.

"So I can tell you, we will give you the best equipment and best training that we can," he said. "We will advocate on that behalf. I wish I could do better with the (labor) contract but, you know, there's only so much I can do. But we'll work on that in the future and part of that is changing the image of the Sheriff's Department – branding it."

The union representing sheriff's officers — Local Policemen's Benevolent Association Local 379 — received a three-year contract earlier this year that gives its officers 1.5 percent increases in salary retroactive to 2013. That means officers will get 1.5 percent increases in 2013, 2014 and 2015. That union was one of the first to settle among the county's multiple law enforcement agencies.

Mastronardy, 62, who as Toms River police chief was arguably the most media savvy and publicly accessible chief in Ocean County, has kept a relatively low public profile since his election in 2013. The sheriff has cited the need to gain his footing in the department. He has expressed frustration over the past year with the more layered bureaucracy of county government than what he was accustomed to while serving as a chief of police in municipal government.

Since his term began on Jan. 1, Mastronardy has increased the visibility of sheriff's officers, deploying them across the county as requested to assist municipal police departments during special events or as needed.

Before he was elected, Mastronardy said he was determined to reshape an unfair image of the county sheriff's officers as glorified security guards at the Ocean County Courthouse and Justice Complex.

"He is building up a great organization," said Undersheriff William T. Sommeling, addressing the ceremony. "For those of you who have been promoted, you know that, you've been there. … The sheriff will keep you busy, I can guarantee you that."